


Topaz

by yeaka



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Ficlet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 22:39:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21666640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: They stop in a Dwarven boutique.
Relationships: Elrond Peredhel/Lindir
Comments: 7
Kudos: 91





	Topaz

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, or any of their contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

For the most part, they go where Elrond wants, because Lindir always agrees to absolutely everything that he suggests and never offers an alternative. It leaves it up to Elrond to make doubly sure that Lindir’s taken care of—at least one of them must be looking out for him. Elrond is _always_ trying to take care of Lindir, but after nearly an hour of shopping only off Elrond’s list, he decides he must be more proactive. They emerge from the hardware store, fabric shopping bags nearly full, and he makes an effort to walk slowly and scan the other shops they pass, drawing Lindir to do the same. Then he can observe which ones Lindir’s eyes linger on. He skips over a bakery, a dentist’s office, two dollar stores and a pizza place, and then he pauses on a Dwarven boutique bursting with gold and silver jewelry. His steps falter, and Elrond asks, “Would you like to go inside?”

“Hm?” Lindir answers, turning back to Elrond before insisting, “Oh, no, that is alright. Where would you like to go next?”

“Wherever you would like,” Elrond counters, as he’s done several times. Lindir’s pale cheeks flush a faint pink like they’re so wont to do, making him look particularly lovely in the midday sunlight. He’s a gorgeous vision that deserves so much more attention than he gets. Lindir shakes his head, but Elrond makes the executive decision, “We are going in.”

Lindir opens his mouth, but then he closes it without protest. He nods, blushing darker, and dons a little smile as he averts his eyes—ever embarrassed to be treated like the prince that he should be. Elrond strolls around him and shifts the shopping bags into one hand to open the door, holding it wide for Lindir, who chuckles delightedly and walks inside. 

The interior is beautiful. The brick walls are washed white and lined with every kind of accessory imaginable, elaborate shoes along the floor and coats glittering like armour hung from every wall. The designs are quite intricate, artistic, beyond just the Dwarven aesthetic, but it still takes Elrond by surprise—Lindir’s never been one for Dwarven anything. He drifts to a collection of rings nonetheless, eyeing the large yellow stones with wide eyes. 

A stout dwarf comes over from the counter, smiling politely up at Elrond through a dark, thick beard braided just as complexly as her hair. Jewels shine from every knot, picking up the spotlights overhead. She peers up at them both and offers one hand, greeting, “Dís, at your service, gentleman. Is there anything I can help you with today?”

“Oh, we are only looking,” Lindir hurriedly answers, looking nervous at the prospect of being roped into a sale. “These are all so beautiful that I doubt I could afford any of it.” 

He seems to continually forget that he’s dating a minor lord. In general, Elrond is responsible with his money, but he doesn’t mind supporting small business and the arts. Elrond tells the dwarf, “I would like to see some on him. What would you recommend?”

The dwarf chuckles, the sound rich and deep. She answers Lindir first: “Thank you, good sir! I take that complement well, for most are my designs.”

“Really?” Lindir asks, looking genuinely surprised—he probably thought most were actually Elven made.

“Oh, yes. My brother and my nephews contribute a little, but they only do strictly Dwarven designs. You know how family can be; always stubborn! But I’m a better business woman—I knew I could catch the eyes of some handsome young elves like yourselves!”

Elrond is hardly young, but he smiles at the complement. Lindir blushes terribly. Dís turns to the wall and shuffles over, moving on. “Now, as for what I recommend... a pretty thing like you can’t go around with a plain throat!” Her thick fingers hover around a row of hanging necklaces before landing on a silver piece—several thin chains looped together and interspersed with diamonds. She returns to hold them up to Lindir, unable to reach. Elrond helpfully takes them from her and steps behind Lindir. He follows Elrond’s movement, mouth open, but before he can protest, Elrond is gently sweeping his long braid over his shoulder and clasping the necklace around the nape of his neck. Then Elrond steps back to admire the many glittering loops that draw attention up to Lindir’s lovely face. 

Lindir looks down, delicate fingers lifting to tentatively touch the metal. Elrond looks more at the quiet appreciation on Lindir’s face than the jewelry itself. Frankly, Lindir would still be beautiful if he wore nothing but an empty sack. But he glows when he takes pride in his appearance, which is far too rare a thing.

While Lindir’s still examining the piece, Dís flitters off, only to return with a second, much longer necklace that she all but throws up onto him—Elrond collects it and attaches that too. Lindir lets out a little, “Oh.” He picks it up off his breast, examining the individual stones, and Elrond points him towards a mirror hanging over the rings. Lindir peers at his reflection while Dís adds a short, thick silver choker that Elrond places on. It fits snugly against Lindir’s throat, and he breathes, “Oh, Elrond—”

“Try this,” Dís suggests, now holding a shimmering headpiece halfway between a headband and tiara. 

Elrond tucks it into Lindir’s hair, who blushes hotter and murmurs, “Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly—”

A white fabric flower with a bright gem in the middle joins it; Elrond clips it to the side, only to find Dís holding a heap of bobby pins embedded with crystals. Elrond begins weaving them into Lindir’s braid, and Dís returns with a second flower, this time attached to a ribbon, which Elrond wraps around the bottom of the braid. Dís asks, “Are his ears pierced?”

Lindir looks at her, scandalized, because traditionally, piercings are a purely Dwarven notion. Elrond chuckles, “I think that is alright, thank you.”

“Are you sure?” she asks. “If we just add a few rings...”

“I think I will sink to the floor from the weight,” Lindir squeaks. But he does look thoroughly pleased with his appearance. He really is accessorized as heavily as a dwarf, or at least an Elven lord. 

He looks absolutely stunning. Elrond can’t stop smiling. Every time Lindir tries to turn away from the mirror, it seems to catch his eye again, and he turns back to look both at his new pieces and himself. Elrond can see the awe in his warm gaze. Elrond asks, “What do you think, my songbird?”

“They are lovely,” Lindir breathes. “All of them. It is as though the light of the Valar is shining though me.”

Elrond often feels that way about his darling lover. Dís stands proudly behind them, hands on her large hips, looking exactly as triumphant as an artist so skilled should. 

Elrond tells her, “We shall take them all.”

“What?” Lindir splutters.

“Excellent!” Dís claps, like she knew they would, because no one could resist her talent. Elrond follows her over to the register while Lindir flounders behind them. 

“My lord, please, you cannot possibly spend so much on me, I—”

“ _You_ are worth every coin,” Elrond insists, “And I will not hear otherwise.”

Lindir covers his face in both his hands, but Elrond can see the blush shining right through it. He pays for every piece, and they leave them on for the rest of their shopping trip, until they’re safely at home and Elrond can remove every accessory from Lindir’s perfect body one by one.


End file.
